title: [Repairing traumatic partial helical defect with postauricular tube flap].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of postauricular tube flap for repairing traumatic partial helical defect.
  
  
  METHODS
  The tube flaps were designed according to the site and size of helical defects. The length of tube flaps was 1.2 - 1.5 times as the length of the defects. The length-to-width ratio of tube flap was 3 - 4:1. The procedures required three stages for completion: (1) fabrication of tube flap; (2) 2 - 3 weeks later, division of one pedicle and insetting the flap; (3) 2 - 3 weeks later, complete division of pedicle and repairing the defects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 1998 to June 2006, 47 cases of traumatic partial helical defects were treated with postauricular tube flaps. All the tube flaps survived completely with no vascular disturbance, infection or necrosis. The patients were followed up for 2 months to five years with satisfactory results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postauricular tube flap is a reliable and simple procedure for traumatic partial helical defects with good cosmetic result and less donor site morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100144, China. renmin1977@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Hong-Xing
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Xiao-Lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jia-Jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jian-Jian
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D055815:Young Adult